Fire Under My Feet
by Shana Hager
Summary: They nerfed his down throw, but they'll never nerf his spirit. Third place in LunaticFromTheSun's Vistruso Contest.


**Fire Under My Feet**

The notes for patch 1.1.1 were tacked on every wall. Copies of these notes were passed to every last Smasher on the roster. Now, they could be organized into distinct groups.

There were the ones who were greatly buffed for the new patch. These Smashers were distinguishable by their celebratory moods, the glowing pride around their faces and the way they strutted like peacocks around the Smash Mansion, acting like they owned it. They rubbed their buffs in the faces of the less-fortunate and taunted excessively during their matches. If not in a battle, they were found celebrating at Baskin-Robbins, Brewster's Café, Hot Topic and other popular Smash hang-outs. For these Smashers, they were at the top of the food chain, and they could care less about everyone else.

Then, there were those who were moderately buffed, not much, but enough. At least they weren't cocky about it. Their celebrations were more silent—a smile, a nod, a pat on another's shoulder, a quiet acknowledgement of this accomplishment. They'd sit in the cafeteria and commiserate over what should've been buffed more, and then they'd focus on what was actually buffed and at least be thankful for that. Self-rewards included an extra helping of dessert, an extra minute in the shower and some extra time in the gym. Though the buff wasn't that big, it was still a buff, and that was all that mattered.

Next came the ones who received moderate nerfs, not super-damaging, but enough to make them more balanced. While upset over the nerf, they didn't sulk around too much. They said to themselves, "Fiddle-dee-dee, tomorrow is another day", and they spent their spare time thinking of ways to work around the nerf. They shook off the teasing from the significantly buffed and accepted the consolation from the moderately buffed. A nice pint of Ben and Jerry's, a night out, shopping, cooking and going for a drive seemed to make things better. Perhaps they deserved the nerf for all those times they were prideful and boastful. Perhaps…

Finally, there were the severely nerfed ones. You could hear their exclamations of disbelief and dismay from a mile and a half away. This group had it the worst, as the really buffed ones wasted no time setting upon them with their mockery. Then, the moderately buffed and nerfed would come by with their sympathetic looks and words, and some of the severely nerfed would shake them off. Those who didn't take it very well were off to the nearest club to drown their sorrows and had to be driven or carried home. Others found sounding boards in friends and each other. It was common for a nerf victim to invite other nerf victims to a sleepover or an all-nighter. It was also common for them to seek out the Wii Fit Trainer for physical and emotional guidance. Her yoga classes were packed with nerf victims as soon as the patch notes came out. Receiving an impactful nerf was brutal, but the nerf victims of Smash vowed to tough it out.

Especially one of them…

* * *

The Training Room was a melting pot. It was filled with buffed Smashers who wanted to flaunt their newfound strength, slightly buffed and slightly nerfed Smashers who wanted to improve their skills and nerfed Smashers who needed somewhere to vent. The radio was tuned to a pop hits station, turned up loud enough to be heard over the general sounds of training.

The door to the Training Room opened and then closed with a brisk _click_. Brief greetings were exchanged between the occupants and the Smasher that had just entered. The buffed ones snickered—here was another significantly nerfed one. His down throw, the engendering of so many combos and the source of so much envy, awe and affright, had been the target of the nerf. With its changed knockback scaling had come the deaths of so many of those down-throw combos. But—he seemed to be handling it well. He wasn't plugged to the gills with alcohol, unlike _some_ of them. He didn't even look at the jeering, buffed ones as he strode to a vacant Sandbag. Then, the Training Room settled back down, until—

THWACK! THWACK!

Uncharacteristically loud, rough blows against a Sandbag stilled everything else in the Training Room. The relentless attacks echoed against the walls and almost drowned out the radio. Heads whipped around to glance curiously at the new arrival as he launched a concerted assault on the Sandbag before him. His face, they noticed, was red and fierce.

Luigi Mario wasn't having the best of days. He, like all of the Smashers, welcomed the new patch with open arms. Maybe his traction would be slightly improved, or his dashing speed and jump height would be taken up a notch. But as soon as he got the patch notes, he wished he hadn't. There, marked with a red bullet point, was the condemnation—a nerf on his down throw. By the time the day's matches commenced, word had gotten out. The frequent victims of his down throw wasted no time getting their "revenge", so to speak, against him, trouncing him through and through on the battlefield and mocking the combos which no longer worked. This also gave the super buffed ones something extra to rub in his face, and boy, did they rub it in! Though he managed to win against some of them, the victories were cold comfort, since they weren't enough to convince them to lighten up. Now, with the day's matches halfway through, it was time for some well-earned release.

THWACK! BAM! THWACK-THWACK! BOOM! POW! THWACK-THWACK-THWACK-THWACK-THWACK!

For a few moments more, the other Smashers stood and watched, some with awe, some with amazement, some with sympathy and some with amusement. Luigi didn't seem to mind the eyes on him, letting everything else fade out except for his nerf, the radio, the Sandbag and the stress of the day so far.

That was when Mario began to herd everyone out, especially the buffed ones, convinced that his brother was in need of some space. Once everyone was lingering in the hall, the red-clad hero paused in the doorway, sneaking his brother one last, concerned look.

Gently, Peach stepped in, steering her love away. "He's going to be fine," she assured him. Mario nodded and allowed the door to close after him. Everyone remained outside, listening to the lone occupant's grunts and breaths as he beat the Sandbag.

Abruptly, the noise stopped.

Seconds later, the lock was engaged.

"Thanks, bro," they heard Luigi say.

"You're welcome," Mario replied.

Then, the blows started up again.

For three consecutive songs on the radio, Luigi let it all go. The shock, the teasing, the concern about what this might do to his stats, the frustration. He locked himself into a steady, soothing rhythm of strong attacks, smashes, aerials and other blows. His eyes were closed, sweat beginning to drip down his eyelids. He battered the Sandbag till he was breathless, but he kept on, not wanting to stop. Once he did, he feared that the down-throw nerf would get to him. There was no way he'd allow that to happen. So, he had to keep going.

It felt _incredibly_ good.

Blow by blow, however, Luigi felt the anger and stress flushing from his system. His mind started dwelling on the other changes the new patch had given him. For instance, his down smash and his down-B had been somewhat buffed, with increased hitbox growths and an adjusted angle and increased lag modifier for the latter. His down-air's hitbox had noticeably increased. And while the base knockback from his down throw had drastically decreased, its growth had drastically increased. Plus, who said he couldn't make new combos?

Times had changed, and he'd change right along with them.

Outside the Training Room, the others relaxed as they heard the lock disengage. The door remained closed, so they were not in the clear yet. Unfortunately, one Smasher didn't take the hint.

"Well, isn't this a sight to behold?"

The Smashers were so deep in thought that they didn't notice Pittoo stride back into the Training Room, a sardonic smile on his face. Palutena rushed forward to stop him, but she was too late.

Luigi had whirled at the sound of Pittoo's voice, and now he stood, looking at the intruder with no emotion in his eyes.

"Can I help you?" he calmly asked.

Pittoo spread his hands. "I have to admit, you were awesome back in the day," he said. "Those combos of yours were winning tickets. Everyone wanted to be like you, or be you. You were at the Smasher every gamer wanted to main. But sadly, those days are over. Don't mean to burst your bubble, but it's true."

"Dark Pit, what in the name of Nayru are you doing?" Zelda demanded of the dark angel.

Pittoo didn't even look at her. "Telling the truth," he said.

"He's endured enough of this already," said Mario. "He certainly doesn't need it from you!"

"Who are you to talk, anyway?" added Meta Knight. "You remained relatively unchanged in this patch."

"Quite true, Meta," said Luigi. "You're one to talk, seeing that you were neither buffed nor nerfed. I saw no patch notes about you. So who are you to take shots at me?"

"I'm just saying that you'd better be ready, because you won't be such a powerhouse on the battlefield anymore." Pittoo smirked. "Can't help but feel sorry for you."

"Pittoo," said Luigi, crooking his index finger at the dark angel. "Come here."

Pittoo obliged.

Luigi turned to everyone else. "Could you all…?"

"Sure," said Mario. Once again, he shooed everyone away and closed the door.

Then, Luigi crossed the room to the stereo, switched the radio off and popped a CD in. He turned the volume up as loud as he could bear. Finally, he hit "play" and strode toward Pittoo as the first strains of the song pealed across the Training Room.

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, you can't put out all of these flames;_

 _You can't keep me down in my seat!_

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, go get out of the blaze_

 _If you can't take the heat!_

"Watch out!" shouted Dark Pit as he twirled his twin blades.

Half a heartbeat later, he was clubbed by Luigi's up-tilt, followed by a strong up-smash.

 _Fire!_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Ohh—_

"Whoa!" Mario was at the windowpane in one leap.

"What is it?" asked Peach. Then, she glimpsed Luigi and Pittoo circling each other. Suddenly, Luigi closed the distance, grabbed the angel, executed his forward throw and plowed into him with his "sissy-fists".

"Oh, my," Peach gasped.

Pittoo gathered his bearings and attempted an attack, which Luigi easily dodged. Again, he grasped him before butt-slamming him, winding up and jabbing him with his left hand, at a slightly upward angle. The spectators heard the breath leaving Pittoo in a rush. But already, Luigi dashed forward, executed another butt-slam and followed up with a full-on Cyclone. This captured Pittoo and propelled him a few feet off the ground, and while Luigi seemed to float back to earth, Pittoo's descent was not as comfortable. The plumber waited for his instigator to rush him again and was rewarded. Exhaling, he Ground-Pounded Pittoo a third time and fired off another up-smash. As soon as the combo was finished, he advanced, sizing up the dark angel.

 _I tripped and I stumbled,_

 _Watched my world crumble,_

 _Sometimes, you eat dirt;_

 _You live and you learn._

 _Thrown in with the lions,_

 _The tigers and titans,_

 _Afraid to get hurt,_

 _But now, I'm making them purr!_

Wordlessly, Luigi studied Pittoo, his gaze intense but not angry. He had no time for getting upset. He just wanted to show him that despite this nerf, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Before Pittoo could even react, Luigi jumped and landed a neutral air on him, followed by a back air. The angel jumped up and started slicing madly. Not a single one hit. Smoother than pudding, Luigi grabbed him, did another Ground-Pound and delivered two resounding forward airs. Oh, yeah—the combo still worked, just at lower percentages. He enjoyed the look on the dark angel's face when that fact became crystal clear. But Luigi wasn't done. He was just warming himself up!

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, you can't put out all of these flames;_

 _You can't keep me down in my seat!_

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, go get out of the blaze_

 _If you can't take the heat!_

Before Dark Pit's intrusion, Luigi was about to dream up some brand-new combos and try them out on the Sandbag. But here was a better opportunity to break in these new combos and work around his nerf! That would make Pittoo eat his words!

Once he racked up a moderate amount of damage on Pittoo, Luigi's creative juices really started flowing. He comboed his down throw into a back air, and again into a jump and a down-B. From outside, he could hear some Smashers encouraging him, and those sounds touched his heart. Even the buffed ones were giving him some praise! They were starting to regret jeering him earlier. Well, let them!

 _Fire!_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Oh, oh whoa (Fire!)_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Ohh—_

Turning his attention back to Pittoo, Luigi pulled of an especially powerful butt-slam and then threw an up-B, catching him squarely on the point of his chin. He didn't give him time to counter, bicycle-kicking him twice and adding a forward air for good measure. At this point, the down-throw into a double forward air was useless, but a down-throw into a forward air and an up-air worked like a charm. So did a down throw into a _triple_ forward air and an up air into an up tilt and a double forward air. Man, he was feeling _great_! From the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, he burst with confidence. There was no room for him to be mad at Pittoo at all!

 _Was drowning in quicksand;_

 _Nobody grabbed my hand_

 _Thought it buried me—_

 _Instead, I'm set free!_

 _Moving on to bigger things,_

 _I begin to spread my wings._

 _No longer in chains—_

 _I'm dancing over these flames!_

Pittoo, royally ticked off, was rushing at Luigi, but the latter attended to that in a jiffy with a short-hop neutral air, followed by a down air and a back air. Next, he comboed that short-hop neutral air into an up-air and a down-B. He tried a combo with his up-air, into an up-tilt another up-air and then a back air. Satisfied with the way things were going so far, he bashfully kicked the ground. His potential for new combos seemed limitless! With that thought, he styled another up-air combo involving an up tilt, another up-air and a forward air, plus one involving an up tilt, a second up-air and a Cyclone.

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, you can't put out all of these flames;_

 _You can't keep me down in my seat!_

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, go get out of the blaze_

 _If you can't take the heat!_

The disadvantaged dark angel endeavored to escape Luigi's next bicycle kick and failed, getting grabbed, pummeled twice and Ground-Pounded into a forward air and an up-B. Now, the Smashers outside were on their feet, cheering, hooting and hollering for the green-clad man, rather than the obnoxious Pittoo. Luigi heard these cheers, which served to spike his confidence. On his next down throw, he managed to catch Pittoo with the tip of his neutral air and entrap him in his Cyclone. He felt the fire now, burning through the sting of his seemingly disastrous nerf, warming his soul, his heart, his spirit, swirling down his limbs and sizzling along his veins. This fire in him was a beacon, beating back the darkening despair, the odds lining up against him and the haters telling him what he could and couldn't do. He was going to make Pittoo feel the fire, and his next opponents were going to get a hefty taste of it, too!

 _Fire!_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Oh, oh whoa (Fire!)_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Ohh—_

As Dark Pit plummeted earthward from the latest combo, Luigi allowed himself to flop onto his stomach and balance there for a second or two before continuing his personal demonstration. With each imaginative combo, the spectators were further and further piqued. Soon, Luigi was convinced that he'd finally gotten his point across, but had one last combo up his sleeve. Briskly, he walked up to Pittoo, grabbed him, butt-slammed him, tapped him with a neutral air and finishing with an up-B—his mightiest Super Jump Punch yet. And with that, Dark Pit was sent beyond the upper blast line. He respawned with a hangdog expression on his face.

 _This may not be_

 _Not be perfect,_

 _But I'm happy,_

 _And I've earned it!_

 _Every tear shed_

 _Will be worth it!_

 _Step by step, not looking back—_

 _Have no regrets, 'cause I got—_

Luigi and Pittoo stared at each other in silence for a while. The former had a calm expression on his face as he caught his breath. But in his eyes, fire crackled. He'd turned weakness into strength, and Dark Pit had been the first to experience the end result.

Yet as always, Dark Pit wouldn't admit he was beat. He simply scoffed and said, "You were just lucky today, L. But you won't always have those silly improvisations to save you. Just you wait and see." With one final scornful look, he stalked off.

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, you can't put out all of these flames;_

 _You can't keep me down in my seat!_

 _I got fire under my feet,_

 _And I feel it in my heartbeat!_

 _Oh, go get out of the blaze_

 _If you can't take the heat!_

Pittoo couldn't have been more wrong. The new down throw combos dazzled opponents and spectators alike on the battlefield. And in the heat of battle, Luigi experimented still, finding true and viable combo setups with his down smash as well as his up and forward smashes. Soon, more complex combos involving more than one grab took place, comprising of double forward airs, neutral airs and up-airs. His breakdance kick would stun opponents into getting grabbed and butt-stomped over again, and then he'd pull off a down air into a neutral air, two up-tilts, an up air and finally a back air. He even found combos involving repeated pummels, a forward throw, his fireballs, a forward tilt and a neutral air into an up-B. Those who'd received generous buffs thought they were everything, but they looked into Luigi's blue eyes and saw the fire they had ignited, the fire propelling him through combo after combo, match after match, his movements growing increasingly persistent and aggressive. Whether it was mixing up some short-hop aerials or slipping in some smashes and fireballs, Luigi was proving the smug masses wrong. He was finished stewing over some patch notes and feeling sorry for himself. They may have nerfed one of his valued strategic tools—but in the process, they buffed his will and his resiliency.

 _Fire!_

 _Oh, oh whoa_

 _Oh, oh whoa (Fire!)_

 _Oh, oh, whoa, yeah, da, da…_

 _I got fire! (whoa, oh, oh)_

 _I got fire! (oh, oh whoa)_

 _Yeah, da, da, yeah, da, da…_

 _Oh, fire!_

For the rest of the day and far into the night, Luigi's fire burned in him, making him completely bulletproof. Snickers bounced off of him like rubber balls; he simply saved the sting for his next match. His last bout for the day was the grand finale, where he completely let himself go. That opponent was a dirty fighter and was better at getting mouthy than Smashing, but no matter. No nasty attitude could snuff out the flames. Ultimately, Luigi showed him how useless his smart mouth was, winning without losing a single stock.

Throughout dinner, Smashers crowded round him, curious as to how he pulled off these fascinating combos. They told him to keep up the good work, patted him on the back, shook his hand and thanked him for giving the big shot buffed ones some food for thought. Spectators stopped by for visits, and he happily signed autographs and stood for photos and selfies. And when it was time for lights-out, the fire within him kept him snug and warm.

 _Fire—_

 _Fire—_

 _Fire—_

 _Ooh (Can you feel it?)_

 _Can't keep me, can't keep me_

 _Can't hold me, can't hold me_

 _Can't keep me, can't keep me_

 _Whoa, oh—_

 _Hmm, hmm, fire—_

Though patch 1.1.1 nerfed his down throw, it didn't nerf his spirit.

 _You can't put out these flames…_

 **I don't own the lyrics.**

 **Song link:** **watch?v=we9rKqJfPWk (YouTube)**

 **Source for post-patch combos:** **watch?v=iI6gUUSd-g8, watch?v=bUW46HGInO8 (YouTube)**

 **Please read and review, and good luck to everyone else in the contest!**


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